Serena Fariello

This is the background and embrace story of Serena Fariello as created as a player character for a Vampire the Masquerade convention-scenario set in Rome. The scenario took place during the last days of December 1999. If you use another setting, change the names as appropriate. She is intended as a standard starting character for Vampire the Masquerade. If you would like to use her stats as I wrote them, please send me a mail.

What once was...

You've known Camille most of your life. She has almost always been there, like a benevolent aunt. When you were a very young child, your parents would dress you up like a princess whenever Camille was coming to visit. And she always looked like a princess herself, so beautiful, gracious and smiling. Like a blonde Jackie Onassis or a long-haired Princess Di. Her French accent was charming and captivating. At that point, you had no idea what a vampire was, much less that she was one.

It was during your late teen years that you realized that Camille never saw the light of day and never had a tan - even during the hottest summers in Rome. By then Camille was such an integral part of your life that you did not care. She was the idol you worshiped - the one you wanted to grow up to be. And you have... as much as anyone could. You studied art and psychology at college. Studying came easy and you also developed a keen talent for painting. Life was easy.

On your 21.st birthday Camille told you that she was a vampire. She asked you if you'ld care to be one some day yourself - and naturally, you said yes. During the next 4 years she orchestrated your education, spending lots of time with you almost every evening. She encouraged you to learn to use your feminine charms to your advantage and enjoy the life of the living to the fullest every minute. She found the best tutors to help develop your talent for painting and she urged you to be all you can be - for yourself. And for her. Of course you would be completely devoted to her. And even back then you would never even consider betraying her trust.

The Embrace of Serena Fariello

Then, on the night of your 25th birthday, Camille came to your apartment. You had partied and celebrated long into the night, but the minute she entered, you became wide awake. She was shining so radiantly, so beautifully. It was as if she was an angel of light, pure and bright. And you loved her. She did not speak at first, but just walked slowly towards your bed. You rose to meet her, dressed only in a thin nightgown of pure silk. The room suddenly seemed so hot and a thin layer of perspiration formed all over your skin. Camille smiled at you and you felt as if you melted in the radiance of her smile.

"You'll have to know how your vampiric nature affects mortals" she said. "How you'll be worshiped or bedeviled depending on how you use them. And you need to learn how to make the Kiss as pleasurable for the mortal as it will be to you." She then embraced you, kissing you lightly on the neck. Her nearness made you shiver and the kiss was only a small part of the anticipation which filled you. You needed fulfillment, craved it. You moaned in a low voice. You felt Camille's smile on your throat and heard her voice whisper in your ear. "And you need to learn to control your urges, control your hunger..." Then she gently pierced your skin with her fangs, causing the most exquisite pain and pleasure to mingle. The pain did not last, but the pleasure only increased as you felt her small tongue shooting out, tasting your blood. Then even more exquisite pleasure made you quiver and close your eyes, as Camille sucked your blood ever to gently. She stopped several times and each time you pleaded with her to go on. A deep, throaty laugh was all the answer you got. Teasingly she closed the wound, sealing it with her lips. As you protested, she pierced your skin not far from the first wound and drank a little more. This went on for an extended period - how long you did not know. As she drank your lifeblood, she whispered little words of wisdom to you, teaching you techniques of feeding as freely as she could only this night. As dawn neared, you felt death approach. At the very verge of death, you cried out to her and felt her hand squeeze your own. Then a few drops of her blood revived you and you drank deeply.

You spent that day sleeping in Camille's arms, awaking the next night with the need to feed and the soft, tender love of your Sire to fill your now still heart. Together, hand-in-hand like schoolgirls, you went prowling through the streets of Rome.

Unlife

Camille's teachings were invaluable lessons, teaching you to control yourself from the very first day. But one night your control slipped. You had been attacked by a hunter - a human determined to rid the world of vampires - and the fight had left you low on blood and even lower on self-control and willpower. The hunter had escaped - you were never that great a fighter and felt lucky to have survived, as only your undead state had kept you alive. So you more or less crawled towards the nearest house, seeking sustenance and shelter.

That night you killed. The house was the home of a small family of three. Both the adults were dead by the time your frenzy left you and the guilt and remorse set in. Frantically, you looked around and you saw the carnage you had created. Upstairs you found a small, warm boy sleeping peacefully. You wrapped him in a blanket and took him in your arms. You then left the house and called Camille on your cell-phone. You sobbingly told her about the crime you had committed and the address. She promised to take care of it. Still sobbing, you carried the sleeping child away.
You took the child home to your parents and left him in the care of your mother, giving her a slightly rewritten version of the truth, withholding your own part in the death of his parents. And your mother - by now she was a ghoul of Camille's - did not ask. The next day, the newspapers told a sad story about a vicious fire in which the parents of Giorgio Zalese had died. And your parents arranged to adopt Giorgio, changing his name to Fariello. Your deep guilt and remorse for the fate of his natural parents has made you a bit uneasy around him sometimes, but discovering his gift for drawing has helped form a stronger bond between the two of you. You teach him some yourself and provide him with the best teachers money can buy, just like Camille did for you. And he seems happy, even though you know nothing can replace his real parents. And nothing can remove the guilt you feel.

Since then, you've spent part of your time looking for fledgling vampires and trying to make them able to manage in their new life, helping them adjust and trying to influence their behavior, thereby trying to atone for the frenzy in which you killed Giorgios parents. So far you've picked up a Malkavian - Lothario's progeny Francesco - a Gangrel - Romano's progeny Bernardo and a Caitiff - Alessandro, Sire unknown. You've formed a small coterie with them. Of course you've asked permission from both Constanza, the Brujah Prince of Rome, and your Sire, the always wonderful Camille. And both have graciously agreed to let you teach these youngsters, seeing the need for you to help others prevent the kind of tragedy you unwillingly caused.

Fellow actors on the stage of life

Giorgio is the most important person in your life at present. He is your little brother and your ward. He is also an aspiring artist and you hope to be given permission to embrace him sometime when he is old enough. But you fear his talent might not be enough. Fortunately, he is blessed with the looks of an angel - or at least a choir boy. Perhaps that will soften the hearts of your elders when the time comes to ask permission.

Merits/Flaws

High-Society Ties (Similar to all other ties - you know the important people in high society. Not necessarily the multimillionaire himself, but perhaps his charming wife or his delightful mistress. You were born into the right circles and never left), Controllable Thirst (1 pt - Because Toreador spend so much time around mortals, resisting Frenzy caused by the smell, sight or taste of blood is easier for them. Whenever the Kindred makes a Frenzy roll over blood, reduce the difficulty by three), Higher Purpose (wants to help young vampires cope with the life of the undead), Luck, Computer Aptitude Ward (Giorgio), Nightmares (the murder of Giorgio's parents)

Specialties

Artistic Expression (painting)